Nut shelling machine

ABSTRACT

A nut shelling machine is provided for the continuous and automated shelling of cashew nuts. The machine includes a shelling station with opposed interacting cutting blades, cutting guides and a shell splitter associated with one cutting blade, a nut orienting and delivery device for supplying cashew nuts to said shelling station in an eye-down position; and a nut transferring mechanism taking one nut at a time from the orienting and delivery device effecitvely rotating same 90* about the nut &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;eye&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; before placing it between the guides and blades in the shelling station. All of these elements of the shelling machine are driven in common synchronism from a common timing chain through suitable cams, gears and/or eccentrics.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,774,526 Nemir Nov. 27, 1973 NUTSHELLING MACHINE Prima ExaminerAndrew R Juhasz t T. N K [75] Inven or Carence enwood Md Assistant Examiner-Z. R. Bilinsky [73] Assignee:Carribean Cashew Company, Att rney -Birch & Birch Milwaukee, Wis. 7 i[22] Filed Apr 2 1971 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 137,753

A nut shelling machine is provided for the continuous and automatedshelling of cashew nuts. The machine includes a shelling station withopposed interacting cutting blades, cutting guides and a shell splitterassociated with one cutting blade, a nut orienting and delivery devicefor supplying cashew nuts to said shelling station in an eye-downposition; and a nut transferring mechanism taking one nut at a time fromthe orienting and delivery device effecitvely rotating same 90 about thenut eye before placing it between the guides and blades in the shellingstation. All of these elements of the shelling machine are driven incommon synchronism from a common timing chain through suitable cams,gears and/or eccentrics.

20 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures ssrssq PAIENIEnuovzv I975 3774.526

SHEET 1 OF 4 INVENTOR CLARENCE T. NEM I R BY [3M 12% ATTORNEYPATENTEDNUYZTIBB 1 3.774.526 SHEET 30$ 4 INVENTOR CLARENCE T. N EM l RATTORNEY because of a lack of fully automated shelling machinery.Furthermore, the present day shelling machinery, requires substantialmanual monitoring and control, with the additional and criticalrequirement that cashew nuts processed therein have a pre-processedshelf life, preferably, of less than 24 hours.

This pre-processing conventionally comprises an oil bath for roastingthe nuts in-the shells and removing a relatively high percentage of CNSL(cashew nut shell liquid) from the shells. Both CNSL and the shells arevaluable by-products of cashew nut processing.

The roasting process, followed by'controlled drying renders the cashewnutmeats or kernels more brittle than in the raw state and presentlyknown equipment cannot effect shelling of the cashew nuts unless a veryshort period of time elapses between drying and shelling, namely, 24hours or less.

This requires that de-oiling (roasting) and shelling be accomplished atthe same situs. To compound the problem, cashew nuts are grown in thelesser developed areas of the world and must be promptly pre-processedto preclude spoilage. Coupled with the short shelflife of de-oiled nutsdictated by presently known shelling machinery, de-oiled-nuts cannot bestockpiled, precluding performance of the shelling operation elsewhere.

Further, the shelled nuts must then be pealed or FIG. 4 is a front planview of a nut gripping assembly taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end view of the nut orienting and transfermechanism of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is enlarged top plan view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 2A,illustrating the moving shuttle, cutter blade and splitter mechanism ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6A is an enlarged detail of the moving cutter blade of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6B is a plan view illustrating one of the splitters of the presentinvention FIG. 7A is an enlarged top plan view of the fixed cutter bladeand associated nut centering guides of the present invention; and

FIG. 7B is an enlarged cross-section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 18,illustrating the actuating means for the nut centering guides of FIG.7A.

Basically, the invention comprises an orientation input device whichorients all of the incoming unshelled nuts in like orientation and feedsthem'one at a time into a pair of opposed, spring-loaded, centeringguides which hold the nuts in a predetermined relative orientation to apair of cutting dies, one moving and one fixed, mounted adjacent theguides.

The centering guides and cutting dies are relatively movable and timedby correlated linkages such that at the time the dies cut into the shellof the nut, the guides blanched, sorted, graded and shipped in bulk formin which have been de-oiled for a time period on the order of 1 year ormore, with an optimized yield of unbroken kernels. Still another objectof the present invention is to provide a shelling machine for cashewnuts and the like having new and novel feeding, gripping and cuttingmechanisms for effecting separation of the shells and kernelsof thenuts.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more fullyapparent with reference to the following specification and drawingswhich relate to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIGS. IA and 1B together comprise atop plan view of thenut shelling machine of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C together comprise a side elevation of the nutshelling machine of the present invention;

FIGS.3A, 3B and 3C are enlarged details taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2Aillustrating the sequence of shelling steps performed by the inventionon a cashew nut;

FIG. 3D is a side elevation of the cutter blades and a cashew nutillustrating their relative orientation;

are withdrawn, leaving the shell and kernel free to separate.

The moving cutter die is provided with a pair of splitting fingers whichenter the die cut in the shell and spring apart as the cutting action iscompleted, splitting the shell into substantially equal halves, whichare flung aside by the action of these fingers and the kernel therebyseparated from the shells.

The achievement of accurate centering, cutting and splitting of theshell is essential. Otherwise the irregular shape of the cashew nut willcause the kernel either to be cradled and held within a portion of theshell or to be fractured when the shell is rent asunder by the splittingfingers.

The cutting dies of the present invention are basically crescent shapedand have a two-stage cutting edge, a sharp cutting rim and a wide angleor braking portion which engage the shell in the order described.

Referring in detail to the drawings and with particu- I lar reference toFIGS. ll, 2 and 5, a shelling machine 10 of the present invention isshown as including a main nut reservoir or hopper 12, a secondary orinput reservoir l4 fed thereby, and an input V-trough 16 connected withthe input reservoir 14 to receive nuts therefrom into the machine It).

The V-trough 16 is open at the bottom to receive the upstanding tines18A of an oscillating fork mechanism 18 which operates on the cashewnuts CN entering the V-trough 16 to orient to said nuts CN with the eyethereof facing downward into the said V-trough and simultaneouslyadvance the nuts CN to the inboard end of the .V-trough.

The inboard end of the V-trough I6 terminates above the shelling station20 which includes opposed cutter bars, said cutter bars comprising afixed cutter bar 22A beneath the V-trough l6 and a moving cutter bar228.

The cutter bars 22A and 22B are each flanked by a pair of relativelymovable cutter guides 24A and 248, respectively. The interrelationshipof the cutter bars 22A 22B and cutter guides 24A 248 will be hereinaftermore fully described.

The machine further includes a bed 26 upon which all of the componentsof the machine are suitably mounted in a conventional manner.

The moving cutter bar 22B and cutter guide pair 248 are mounted in andextend from one end of a blockshaped shuttle 28 which sits on a trackway28A on the bed 26 and receives at its other end a driving shaft 30 forthe guide pair 24B bar 22B and two driving shafts 32, one engaging eachside of the shuttle 28.

The shafts 32 are fixed at their outer ends in a crosshead 34, thelatter being driven in reciprocation along a portion of the bed 26 bymeans of a pair of crank arms 36 and a drive eccentric 38, the latterbeing pow ered by an input sprocket 40 mounted on one side of the bed 26and driven by an endless timing chain 42 extending from a main inputsprocket 44 mounted beneath the bed 26. The guide shaft 30 is mounted ina spring socket 30A in the crosshead 34 to permit a slight overtravel ofthe crosshead with respect to the guides 248 as will be fully describedhereinafter.

A second input sprocket 46 is provided adjacent the V-trough 16 on thebed 26 and driven by the timing chain 42 to rpovide a synchronized inputdrive for the oscillating rake mechanism 18.

In this regard, the rake 18 has a pair of dependent ears 18Beccentrically pivoted one on each of a corresponding pair of drive gears48, the latter being respectively driven through one of a pair of idlergears 50 having a neutral driving gear 52 mounted on a common timingshaft 54 with the second input sprocket 46 for rotation therewith.

The timing shaft 54 extends entirely across the bed 26 and in additionto the driving gear 52 for the rake l8 mounts a timing cam 56 for thecutter guide pair 24A (FIG. 7B), adjacent the fixed cutter bar 22A, thetiming of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring next to FIGS. 1, 2, 7A and 7B, the fixed cutter bar 22A ismounted in a fixed block or standard 58 in which its associated cutterguide pair 24A is slidably mounted.

A reciprocating follower shaft 60 is affixed to the rear portion of thecutter guide pair 24A and extends beneath the V-trough l6 and rakeassembly 18 into proximity with the timing shaft 54 and timing cam 56thereon. The follower shaft 60 carries a terminal yoke 60A with a camfollower 608 on the outermost end thereof, the latter being constrainedto engage the timing cam 56 to effect timed reciprocation of thefollower shaft 60 and cutter guide pair 24A via the timing chain 42,idler sprocket 46 and timing shaft 54, with the remaining components ofthe nut shelling machine 10.

A tension spring TS is connected between the follower yoke 60A and afixed hold-down 62 such that the spring TS is disposed substantiallyparallel to the axis of reciprocation of the follower shaft 60. Thespring TS, as will be described further, hereinafter, constrains thecutter guide pair 24A into resilient engagement with the cashew nuts CNduring the shelling operation, as well as maintaining the followerroller 608 on the actuating surface of the cam 56.

The moving cutter bar 228 and its related elements 65 will now bedescribed in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6.

The shuttle 28 is hollow and fixedly mounts the mov ing cutter bar 22Bon the leading extremity thereof by means of a set screw 22C andconventional keying or the like. The shuttle 28 is hollowed out toexpose the machine bed 26 in a pair of axially disposed parallel troughs283, to provide clearance, during reciprocating movement of the shuttle28 for a pair of upstanding shell splitter bosses 64, fixed to themachine bed 26.

Referring momentarily to FIGS. 6A and 6B the moving cutter bar 228 isshown as including a lateral center slot 66 for receiving theconformally shaped tips 68A of a pair of opposed shell splitters 68. Theshell splitters 68 also extend through slots 70 in the cutter guide pair24B, outboard thereof, to a respective pair of fixed pivots 72 fixed bybracket 72A to the shuttle 28.

At the fixed pivots 72, the shell splitters 68 are in the form of hellcranks 68B havingtheir free ends pivotally coupled to respectiveindexing shafts 74 which extend through the respective fixed splitterbosses 64.

The indexing shafts 74 have threaded extremities 74A mounting stop-nuts74B which are adapted to engage the bosses 64 after a predeterminedmovement of the shuttle 28 and moving cutter bar 228 toward the fixedcutter bar 22A under the influence of the crosshead 34.

Because of the bell crank configuration 68B of the shell splitters 68,compression springs 74C are mounted concentrically on the indexingshafts 74 in compressed abutment between the splitter bosses 64 and thesplitter bell cranks 68B, thereby normally contraining the splitter tips68A of the shell splitters 68 into the center slot 66 (FIG. 6A) of themoving cutter bar 228.

In the operation of this sub-assembly, it is now clear that upon apredetermined movement of the shuttle 28 causing the adjustable stopnuts 748 to engage the splitter bosses 64, the indexing shafts 74 willcause the splitter bell cranks 688 to pivot toward the splitter bosses64, compressing the springs 74C and causing the splitter tips 68A tomove rapidly outward from the sides of the moving cutter bar, 228.

This rapidity of motion is due to the relatively long length of thesplitter 68 when compared to the length of its bell crank 688, thuscreating an amplification of any slight movement of the bell crank 68Binto a relatively large lateral movement of the splitter tips 68A.

Further, the guide pair 24B is held back away from the splitter tips 68Aand tip of the moving cutter bar 228 by means of an adjustable stop nut30B mounted on a threaded portion of the driving shaft 30, adjacent acutter guide boss 30C on the bed 26. When sufficient forward travel hasoccurred in the shuttle 28 and crosshead 34 to juxtapose the movingcutter bar 228 and fixed cutter bar 22A with a cashew nut CN, the stopnut 30B engages the guide boss 30A, stopping the forward movement (tothe right as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6) of the guide pair 24B and shaft30, whereupon the compression socket 30A permits the crosshead 34 tocontinue its advance of the shafts 32, shuttle 28 and moving cutter bar22B in an amount sufficient to cut and split the shell of the cashew nutCN held between the cutter bars 22A, 22B and previously held in thatposition by the guide pairs 24A, 24B.

By means of the'timing chain 42, the retraction of the cutter guide pair24A with reference to the fixed cutter bar 22A is synchronized with theapparent retraction of the cutter guide pair 248 with reference to themoving cutter bar 223 and splitter tips 68A.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a nut transfer mechanism 80 is shownas including a pair of nut gripping jaws 82 mounted on respective onesof a pair of dependent actuating arms 84 joined together imtermediatethe ends thereof by a lazy tong linkage 86, the central pivot 86A of thelatter being connected through a vertical push rod 86B to an actuatingbutton 88.

The actuating arms 84 are pivoted at the upper ends thereof in the crossbar 90A of a traversing frame member 90, the latter including a pair ofdriving arms 90B extending from the cross bar 90A, above the shellingstation 20, to side pivots 90C on the crosshead '34.

The actuating button 88 and vertical push rod 868 are biased upward, thegripping jaws 82 thus being biased closed through the lazy tong linkage86 and actuating arms 84, by means of a compression spring 88A betweenthe said button 88 and cross bar 90A about the push rod 868.

The traversing frame 90 is supported intermediate its ends bya pivot 90Don a vertical follower rod 90E having a follower yoke 90F at its lowerextremity cooperating with timed eccentric or traverse cam mechanism 92mounted on the inboard side of a timed idler sprocket 94, the latterbeing driven by the timing chain 42.

The idler sprocket 94 drives a timing shaft 94A mounted transverse ofthe bed 26 beneath the shuttle 28.

On the timing shaft 94A is a timing gear 94B which drives an idler gear94C, the latter driving a pinion gear 94D fixed on a timing shaft 96which is mounted transversely on the bed 26 beneath the shuttle 28 andmounts, for rotation, a second timed transverse cam mechanism 96A on theopposite side of the bed 26 and shuttle 28 from the first traverse cammechanism 92.

The second traverse cam mechanism 96A engages a second follower yoke963, which is integral with an upwardly extending second follower link96 C, the latter being engaged at its upper extremity, through a pivot96D with one end of a rocker arm 100A on a rocker frame 180. I

The rocker frame 100 includes a second rocker arm 100B pivoted, parallelwith the rocker arm 100A, both said rocker arms terminating in a crossbar 100C positioned above the cross bar 90A on the traverse frame 90.

The first rocker arm 100A is mounted-on a pivot 180D intermediate itsends on a vertical standard 100E extending upward from one of thetraverse frame arms 90B on the same side of the shuttle 28 as the secondfollower link 96C, substantially directly above the traverse cam shaft94A.

The second rocker arm 100B extends only from the first follower link 905to the cross bar 100C and is mounted to a vertical extension of the saidfirst follower link 90E by a pivot 100F.

Centrally mounted on and dependent from the rocker frame cross bar 100Cis an actuator foot 1006 which is positioned directly above the actuatorbutton 88 on the lazy tong linkage 86.

In operation, the nut gripping sub-assembly 80 is driven by thecross-head 34 via the drive links 988 in a direction toward the inboardend of the V-chute 116 such that the nut engaging heads 820i the gripper80 are positioned at the tips of a pair of nut delivery fingers 16Awhich slant downward at such an angle from the V-chute 16 as to positionthe cashew nuts CN, sliding out of the V-chute thereon, at such an anglethat the said nuts CN will be positioned with the eye CNA thereofsubstantially in the plane of the actuator arms 84 of the nut gripperassembly 80. This position of the nut CN is best illustrated in FIG. 4and will be hereinafter more fully described in connection with theshelling operation perfonned by the machine 10.

The upward throw of the traverse frame 90 is controlled by the firsttraverse carn mechanism 92 and the opening of the nut engaging heads 82is timed by the second traverse cam mechanism 96A to coincide with twopositions of the nut engaging heads 82. The first position is adjacentthe delivery fingers 116A and the gripper 80 and shelling station 20 areall fully synchro- I nized to deliver one nut CN to the shelling station20 for each operating stroke of the shuttle 28, thereby effecting ashelling of the nut CN as will now be more fully described.

Referring first to FIG. 8, the fixed cutter bar 22A is shown asincluding a slightly beveled cutting edge 22A1 and a beveled splittingshoulder 22A2, subtending a wider angle than the cutting edge 22Al, forpenetrating the shell of a nut CN in sequence.

As shown in FIG. 6A, a like cutting edge 22B] and splitting shoulder2282 are provided on the moving cutter bar 228.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 68, each shell splitter in conformallyshaped at 16Ail and l6A2 with the adjacent portions of the cutting edge22B! and splitting shoulder 2232, respectively, of the moving cutter bar22B, such that the splitter tips 26A can penetrate the shell of a nut CNin like manner to and simultaneously with the said moving cutter bar22B.

THE Sl-IELLING OPERATION Referring now to FIGS. 11, 2, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3Dand 6, it isfirst seen with reference to FIGS. I and 2 that as the nutsCN enter the rake mechanism 18 in the V- trough 16 from the inputhoppers l3 and M, the nuts CN are rotated and translated by theinteraction of the rake fingers 118A and V-trough 16 such that the eyesCNA thereof are always faced downward into the V- trough 16 at thedelivery fingers 16A where they are initially gripped between thegripping heads 82 of the nut gripping mechanism 88.

in synchronism with the elements of the machine 110, the grippingmechanism 80, by its traverse frame 98, transfers the gripped nut CN toa position between the cutter guides MA, 288, which, by the timing chain82 and related components previously described are advanced intoengagement with the nut CN to resiliently engage same against theirrespective spring bias and with the nut CN positioned as schematicallyshown in FIGS. 3A 3D.

The shuttle is advancing toward the cutting station 28 at this point intime and causes the cutting edges 22Al, 22811 and 68Al of the cutterbars 22Al, 2281i and splitter respectively, to penetrate the shell ofthe nut CN.

Substantially simultaneously with this engaging action of the cutterguides B, the gripping heads 82 are separated by the engagement of theactuator foot 16 and actuator button 88 and attendant action of the lazytong linkage 86 to leave the nut CN solely under the influence of thecutter guides 24A 24B cutter bars 22A 22B and shell splitters 68.

The first traverse cam 92, in the meantime, has lifted the grippingmechanism 80 out of the shelling station area via the traverse frame 90.

The shuttle 28 continues to advance causing the cutter guides 24A torecede from the cutting edge 22Al of the fixed cutter bar 22A againstthe pull-spring TS (FIG. 7) as well as under the initial influence ofthe timer cam 56 and follower 60B via the drag link 60, sequentiallyshown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

Simultaneously, the same relative motion is achieved between the movingcutter bar 223 and its cutter guide pair 248 due to the resilient actionof the spring socket 30A and ultimate stop action of the guide boss 30Band stop nut 30C via the cutter guide shaft 30, this sequence beingillustrated in FIGS. 3A and 38.

Further advance of the shuttle 28 and synchronized rotation of the timercam 56 (FIG. 7), result in a withdrawal of the cutter guides 24A and 24Bfrom the nut CN, leaving it instantaneously impaled upon the cutter bars22A and 228.

The shuttle 28 has nearly completed its stroke toward the cuttingstation under the influence of the crosshead 34 and drive links 32. Itslast increments of motion effect the following sequence of events:

l. The moving cutter bar 228 forces its cutting edge 22B] and splittingshoulder 2282 into the shell of the nut CN, causing a correspondingpenetration of said shell by the cutting edge 22A1 and splittingshoulder 22A2 of the fixed cutter bar 22A.

2. The tips 68A of the shell splitters 68 are also simultaneously causedto fully penetrate the shell of the nut CN.

3. Over the last minute increment of travel of the shuttle 28 toward theshelling station 20, the splitter controlling stop nuts 74B engage thesplitter bosses 64 and cause the splitter fingers 68 to surge outward onthe bell cranks 688. Therefore, the shell of the nut CN is rent asunderby the splitter tips 68A and the nutmeat GRADING THE NUTS FOR SIZE Inthe preferred embodiment of the invention described herein, the cashewnuts CN are graded to a nominal size for a given run of the shellingmachine 10.

Upon a change in nominal nut size, one merely has to change the size ofthe cutter bars 22A and 228 to effect a proper adapation of the machine10 to that nut size.

ACCURACY OF NUT POSITIONING It can be readily seen that each and everycashew nut CN is substantially identically positioned between theopposed cutter bars 22A, 22B to efi'ect a high uniformity of cut, withthe moving cutter bar 228 and splitters I 68 engaging the cashew nut CNon the opposite side thereof from the eye CNA.

Because of the beveled shapes of the cutter guides 24A, 248, the cashewnut CN are always centered on the cutter bars 22A, 22B, therebyprecluding the oddly shaped nutmeat from being gripped in an unevenshell half CNC, which would cause the nutmeat CNA to shatter or crumbleand destroy its prime market value. Such accuracy of positioning andorientation of the nuts CN with the cutter bars 22A, 22B is critical tothe success of the shelling operation.

Without the indexing and orientation effects of the rake l8, V-troughl6, gripping mechanism and cutter guides 24A, 248, the results of suchan automated shelling process on cashew nuts would be impractical,unworkable and generally disastrous.

Futhermore, long periods of storage of treated cashew nuts, in theshell, heretofore unattainable because of the inability of prior artdevices to shell such stored nuts, are now possible because of theprecision shelling effected by the present invention.

Accordingly, it can be readily seen from the foregoing description anddrawings that the present invention satisfies a long felt need in theart.

I claim: 1. In a nut shelling machine particularly adapted for shellingcashew nuts, a shelling station, comprising:

first and second opposed cutter blades having substantially coplanarcutting edges;

first and second pairs of spring loaded cutter guides flanking saidfirst and second cutter blades, repectively, said guide pairs beingresiliently biased toward one another and having a configurationeffecting the centering of a nut received therebetween with respect tosaid cutter blades; and actuating means effecting a closing motion ofsaid opposed cutter blades into engagement with a nut held between saidguide pairs, a relative retraction of said guide pairs from said nutsubstantially immediately upon engagement of said nut by said cutterblades, and a piercing and splitting of the shell of said nut by saidcutter blades, at least one of said cutter blades including comformablyshaped splitter means, said splitter means piercing the shell of saidnut as part of said cutter blade; and second actuating'meansconstraining said splitter means to exert a splitting force internallyof the shell of said nut directed transversely of the common plane ofsaid cutting edges of said blades substantially immediately subsequentto said retraction of the associated pair of said cutter guides.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said shelling stationfurther includes synchronizing means contraining said first and secondactuating means to a predetennined and repetitive sequence of operation.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said shelling stationfurther includes transfer and orientation means effecting the placementof a single nut between said cutte'r guides in a predeterminedorientation substantially immediately prior to engagement thereof bysaid cutter guides.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, wherein said transfer andorientation means comprises trough means for receiving a series of nuts,one at a time, at one end thereof, from a source of supply; nutorienting and translating means in said trough means, extending thelength thereof, exerting a turning to said nuts in said trough means andtranslating said nuts, one at a time to the other end of said troughmeans in synchronism with the operation of said shelling station; saidtrough means being so shaped and so proportioned as to entrap said nutsin predetermined orientation upon the achievement thereof by said nutorienting and translating means; and

nut gripping means, in synchronism with said operation of said shellingstation, removing one oriented nut at a time from one end of said troughmeans and transferring each said oriented nut to a position between saidcutter guides.

5. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said one of said cutterblades includes a crescent shaped cutting edge concaved to receive anunshelled nut thereagainst to effect a cut about a predetermined portionof theperiphery of the nut shell, said one blade being relieved to forma slot through said cutting edge transversely of the span thereof; and

said shell splitting means being mounted in said slot and displaceabletransversely of said slot by said second actuating means.

6. The invention defined in claim 5, wherein-said splitting meanscomprises first and second elongated fingers pivotally mounted onopposite sides of said cutter blade such that at least the tips thereofconverge in said slot to form a portion of said cutting edge, said tipsbeing so shaped and so proportioned as to conform to saidcutting edgewhen said tips are juxtaposed in said slot.

7. The invention defined in claim 6, wherein said cutting edge comprisesa leading relatively narrow shell cutting portion followed by atrailing'substantially divergent wedge shaped shellsplitting portion.

8. The invention defined in claim 5, wherein said cutting edge comprisesa leading relatively narrow shell cutting portion followed by a trailingsubstantially divergent wedge shaped shell splitting portion.

9. The invention defined in claim 5, wherein both said cutter bladesinclude cutting edges comprising a substantially crescent shaped cuttingedge concaved to receive an unshelled nut there against to effect a cutabout a predetermined portion of the periphery of the nut shell; saidcutting edge comprising a leading relatively narrow shell cuttingportion followed by a trailing substantially divergent wedge shapedshell splitting portion.

10. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said guide pairs eachcomprise a pair of fingers immediately adjacent and flanking oppositesides of said cutter blades and spring biased to lead beyond said cutterblade into said shelling station, said fingers being relieved to formopposed guide planes converging on said cutter blade to center a nutengaging said guides on said cutter blade.

Ill. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of saidcutter blades includes conformably shaped splitter means, said splittermeans piercing the shell of said nut as part of said cutter blade; andsecond actuating means constraining said splitter means to exert asplitting force internally of the shell of said nut directedtransversely of the 'common plane of said cutting edges of said bladessubstantially immediately subsequent to said retraction of theassociated pair of said cutter guides; and wherein said guide pairs eachcomprise a pair of fingers immediately adjacent and flanking oppositesides of said cutter blades and spring biased to lead beyond said cutterblade into said shelling station,said fingers being relieved to formopposed guide planes converging on said cutter blade to center a nutengaging said guides on said cutter blade.

12. The invention defined in claim 11, wherein said shelling stationfurther includes synchronizing means contraining said first and secondactuating means to a predetermined and repetitive sequence of operation.

13. The invention defined in claim 11, wherein said shelling stationfurther includes transfer and orientation means effecting the placementof a single nut between said cutter guides in a predeterminedorientation substantially immediately prior to engagement thereof bysaid cutter guides.

14. The invention defined in claim 13, wherein said transfer andorientation means comprises trough means for receiving a series of nuts,one at a time, at one end thereof, from a source of supply; nutorienting and translating means in said trough means, extending thelength thereof, exerting a turning to said nuts in said trough means andtranslating said nuts, one at a time, to the other end of said troughmeans in synchronism with the operation of said shelling station; saidtrough means being so shaped and so proportioned as to entrap said nutsin predetermined orientation upon the achievement thereof by said nutorienting and translating means; and

nut gripping means, in synchronism with said operation of said shellingstation, removing one oriented nut at a time from one end of said troughmeans and transferring each said oriented'nut to a position between saidcutter guides.

15. Cutting and splitting means for piercing and split ting the outershell from cashew nuts and the like to free the nutmeat therein from theshell, comprising:

a cutter blade having a substantially crescent shaped cutting edgeconcaved to receive an unshelled nut thereagainst to effect a cut abouta predetermined portion of the periphery of the nut shell;

said cutter blade beingrelieved to form a slot through said cutting edgetransversely of the span thereof;

and shell splitting means mounted in said slot, said splitting meansbeing comformally shaped to said cutting edge to act as a part thereofin piercing the shell of said nut and being displaceable, transverselyof said slot, after piercing said shell, to internally apply anoutwardly directed splitting force thereto.

16. The invention defined in claim 15, wherein said splitting meanscomprises first and second elongated fingers pivotally mounted onopposite sides of said cutter blade such that at least the tips thereofconverge in said 'slot to form a portion of said cutting edge, said tipsbeing so shaped and so proportioned as to conform to said cutting edgewhen said tips are juxtaposed in said slot.

17. The invention defined in claim 16, wherein said cutting edgecomprises a leading relatively narrow shell cutting portion followed byatrailing substantially divergent wedge shaped shell splitting portion.

18. The invention defined in claim 15, wherein said cutting edgecomprises a leading relatively narrow shell cutting portion followed bya trailing substantially divergent wedge shaped shell splitting portion.

19. The invention defined in claim 4, wherein said trough meanscomprises an elongated V-trough, apex down and truncated to form a slot,extending from said source of supply to said shelling station; and

trough means comprises an elongated V-trough, apex down and truncated toform a slot, extending from said source of supply to said shellingstation; and

said transfer and said nut orienting and translating means comprises arake mechanism having upstanding spaced tines mounted below andsubstantially coextensive with said V-trough, and drive means, in timedsynchronism with said shelling station, effecting an upward motion intosaid trough and forward motion in said trough of said rake mechanismfrom said source of supply to said shelling station followed by adownward motion thereof out of said trough and a rearward motion beneathsaid trough in a repetitious cycle.

1. In a nut shelling machine particularly adapted for shelling cashewnuts, a shelling station, comprising: first and second opposed cutterblades having substantially coplanar cutting edges; first and secondpairs of spring loaded cutter guides flanking said first and secondcutter blades, repectively, said guide pairs being resiliently biasedtoward one another and having a configuration effecting the centering ofa nut received therebetween with respect to said cutter blades; andactuating means effecting a closing motion of said opposed cutter bladesinto engagement with a nut held between said guide pairs, a relativeretraction of said guide pairs from said nut substantially immediatelyupon engagement of said nut by said cutter blades, and a piercing andsplitting of the shell of said nut by said cutter blades, at least oneof said cutter blades including comformably shaped splitter means, saidsplitter means piercing the shell of said nut as part of said cutterblade; and second actuating means constraining said splitter means toexert a splitting force internally of the shell of said nut directedtransversely of the common plane of said cutting edges of said bladessubstantially immediately subsequent to said retraction of theassociated pair of said cutter guides.
 2. The invention defined in claim1, wherein said shelling station further includes synchronizing meanscontraining said first and second actuating means to a predetermined andrepetitive sequence of operation.
 3. The invention defined in claim 1,wherein said shelling station further includes transfer and orientationmeans effecting the placement of a single nut between said cutter guidesin a predetermined orientation substantially immediately prior toengagement thereof by said cutter guides.
 4. The invention defined inclaim 3, wherein said transfer and orientation means comprises troughmeans for receiving a series of nuts, one at a time, at one end thereof,from a source of supply; nut orienting and translating means in saidtrough means, extending the length thereof, exerting a turning to saidnuts in said trough means and translating said nuts, one at a time tothe other end of said trough means in synchronism with the operation ofsaid shelling station; said trough means being so shaped and soproportioned as to entrap said nuts in predetermined orientation uponthe achievement thereof by said nut orienting and translating means; andnut gripping means, in synchronism with said operation of said shellingstation, removing one oriented nut at a time from one end of said troughmeans and transferring each said oriented nut to a position between saidcutter guides.
 5. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said one ofsaid cutter blades includes a crescent shaped cutting edge concaved toreceive an unshelled nut thereagainst to effect a cut about apredetermined portion of the periphery of the nut shell, said one bladebeing relieved to form a slot through said cutting edge transversely ofthe span thereof; and said shell splitting means being mounted in saidslot and displaceable transversely of said slot by said second actuatingmeans.
 6. The invention defined in claim 5, wherein said splitting meanscomprises first and second elongated fingers pivotally mounted onopposite sides of said cutter blade such that at least the tips thereofconverge in said slot to form a portion of said cutting edge, said tipsbeing so shaped and so proportioned as to conform to said cutting edgewhen said tips are juxtaposed in said slot.
 7. The invention defined inclaim 6, wherein said cutting edge comprises a leading relatively narrowshell cutting portion followed by a trailing substantially divergentwedge shaped shell splitting portion.
 8. The invention defined in claim5, wherein said cutting edge comprises a leading relatively narrow shellcutting portion followed by a trailing substantially divergent wedgeshaped shell splitting portion.
 9. The invention defined in claim 5,wherein both said cutter blades include cutting edges comprising asubstantially crescent shaped cutting edge concaved to receive anunshelled nut there against to effect a cut about a predeterminedportion of the periphery of the nut shell; said cutting edge comprisinga leading relatively narrow shell cutting portion followed by a trailingsubstantially divergent wedge shaped shell splitting portion.
 10. Theinvention defined in claim 1, wherein said guide pairs each comprise apair of fingers immediately adjacent and flanking opposite sides of saidcutter blades and spring biased to lead beyond said cutter blade intosaid shelling station, said fingers being relieved to form opposed guideplanes converging on said cutter blade to center a nut engaging saidguides on said cutter blade.
 11. The invention defined in claim 1,wherein at least one of said cutter blades includes conformably shapedsplitter means, said splitter means piercing the shell of said nut aspart of said cutter blade; and second actuating means constraining saidsplitter means to exert a splitting force internally of the shell ofsaid nut directed transversely of the common plane of said cutting edgesof said blades substantially immediately subsequent to said retractionof the associated pair of said cutter guides; and wherein said guidepairs each comprise a pair of fingers immediately adjacent and flankingopposite sides of said cutter blades and spring biased to lead beyondsaid cutter blade into said shelling station, said fingers beingrelieved to form opposed guide planes converging on said cutter blade tocenter a nut engaging said guides on said cutter blade.
 12. Theinvention defined in claim 11, wherein said shelling station furtherincludes synchronizing means contraining said first and second actuatingmeans to a predetermined and repetitive sequence of operation.
 13. Theinvention defined in claim 11, wherein said shelling station furtherincludes transfer and orientation means effecting the placement of asingle nut between said cutter guides in a predetermined orientationsubstantially immediately prior to engagement thereof by said cutterguides.
 14. The invention defined in claim 13, wherein said transfer andorientation means comprises trough means for receiving a series of nuts,one at a time, at one end thereof, from a source of supply; nutorienting and translating means in said trough means, extending thelength thereof, exerting a turning to said nuts in said trough means andtranslating said nuts, one at a time, to the other end of said troughmeans in synchronism with the operation of said shelling station; saidtrough means being so shaped and so proportioned as to entrap said nutsin predetermined orientation upon the achievement thereof by said nutorienting and translating means; and nut gripping means, in synchronismwith said operation of said shelling station, removing one oriented nutat a time from one end of said trough means and transferring each saidoriented nut to a position between said cutter guides.
 15. Cutting andsplitting means for piercing and splitting the outer shell from cashewnuts and the like to free the nutmeat therein from the shell,comprising: a cutter blade having a substantially crescent shapedcutting edge concaved to receive an unshelled nut thereagainst to effecta cut about a predetermined portion of the periphery of the nut shell;said cutter blade being relieved to form a slot through said cuttingedge transversely of the span thereof; and shell splitting means mountedin said slot, said splitting means being comformally shaped to saidcutting edge to act as a part thereof in piercing the shell of said nutand being displaceable, transversely of said slot, after piercing saidshell, to internally apply an outwardly directed splitting forcethereto.
 16. The invention defined in claim 15, wherein said splittingmeans comprises first and second elongated fingers pivotally mounted onopposite sides of said cutter blade such that at least the tips thereofconverge in said slot to form a portion of said cutting edge, said tipsbeing so shaped and so proportioned as to conform to said cutting edgewhen said tips are juxtaposed in said slot.
 17. The invention defined inclaim 16, wherein said cutting edge comprises a leading relativelynarrow shell cutting portion followed by a trailing substantiallydivergent wedge shaped shell splitting portion.
 18. The inventiondefined in claim 15, wherein said cutting edge comprises a leadingrelatively narrow shell cutting portion followed by a trailingsubstantially divergent wedge shaped shell splitting portion.
 19. Theinvention defined in claim 4, wherein said trough means comprises anelongated V-trough, apex down and truncated to form a slot, extendingfrom said source of supply to said shelling station; and said transferand said nut orienting and translating means comprises a rake mechanismhaving upstanding spaced tines mounted below and substantiallycoextensive with said V-trough, and drive means, in timed synchronismwith said shelling station, effecting an upward motion into said troughand forward motion in said trough of said rake mechanism from saidsource of supply to said shelling station followed by a downward motionthereof out of said trough and a rearward motion beneath said trough ina repetitious cycle.
 20. The invention defined in claim 14, wherein saidtrough means comprises an elongated V-trough, apex down and truncated toform a slot, extending from said source of supply to said shellingstation; and said transfer and said nut orienting and translating meanscomprises a rake mechanism having upstanding spaced tines mounted belowand substantially coextensive with said V-trough, and drive means, intimed synchronism with said shelling station, effecting an upward motioninto said trough aNd forward motion in said trough of said rakemechanism from said source of supply to said shelling station followedby a downward motion thereof out of said trough and a rearward motionbeneath said trough in a repetitious cycle.